Squid Game Creator Suffers Tooth Loss Under Season 3 Stress

Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has faced immense challenges to deliver one of television's most compelling dystopian dramas — even losing teeth in the process. Believe it or not, Hwang recently shared that he has lost additional teeth while working on Season 3.

“I initially thought everything would be fine, but this time around, I ended up having two more teeth extracted,” the creator told Entertainment Weekly. “During Season 1, approximately eight teeth were removed, and now two more are gone. I haven’t had them replaced yet, so I’m still waiting.”

Earlier reports suggested Hwang lost six teeth early in the series, but in November 2024 he clarified the number was closer to eight or nine. Though the final season — confirmed by Hwang as the last — was somewhat less stressful, it still took a physical toll.

“Having already established the universe and brought my vision to life, Seasons 2 and 3 were comparatively easier than Season 1,” he explained to EW. “However, the challenge was filming and writing Seasons 2 and 3 simultaneously. It felt like producing one extended season, and we worked diligently to accelerate Season 3’s release. The overall scale was much larger, requiring nearly a year of shooting, which was physically exhausting.”

Earlier this week, Hwang discussed potential ideas for a Squid Game spin-off. “If I were to create a spin-off, it would explore the three-year gap between Season 1 and Season 2,” Hwang told Indiewire on the Gotham Awards red carpet. “I want to show what the characters were doing during that time.”

Season 3 of Squid Game premieres on Netflix on June 27, 2025.